|
The following simple recipe comes from Vanessa Musi the chef for our 4 day course in traditional and contemporary Mexican cuisine, here in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
A Mexican food fan would quickly recognize the style of dish, ingredients and tastes as distinctly from here. What makes us recognize that it is from Mexico? The only indigenous ingredients are the tomatoes and the chile, and even that is in a sauce which developed sometime in the 18th or 19th century. The origin of noodles? We'll leave that to the Marco Polo debate, but wheat is not native to this region. Pre-hispanic Indians did not have pork (for the chorizo and the chicharron / pork crackling). Nor did they have chickens for the stock, or milk for cheese or cream. Olive oil, pepper, even cilantro are not indigenous to the area. So what makes it authentic? Maybe it is authentically colonial? Maybe authentically 1950?s. But what about the bottle of Maggi seasoning....
Fideos Secos con Chorizo al Chipotle y Chicharron
(Noodles with chorizo sausage, chile chipotle & pork crackling)
This is also called a "dry soup". Contact the author for the origins of this unusual culinary term.
- 250 g (8oz) fideos cortes (short, very thin wheat noodles)
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1/4 large white onion
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 - 3 tablespoons (depending on your personal heat register) chile chipotle in adobe sauce (we use Del Monte brand)
- 150 g (6oz) best quality chorizo sausage, without skin, finely chopped
- 1 tabsp olive oil
- 2 -3 cups chicken stock
- 100 g (4 oz) fresh but firm cheese, grated (here we use Panela)
- salt, pepper and Maggi seasoning to taste
- 50g (2 oz) fresh chicharron, chopped (optional, but use fresh pork crackling or rinds if you can it)
- cilantro or epazote leaves to decorate
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh ranch cream (A slightly soured cream used a lot in Mexico - use creme fraiche or mix some sour cream with fresh pouring cream).
- slices of avocado (optional)
Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender.
Heat oil in a lidded pan or casserole. Add chorizo and saute over medium / low heat until golden - be careful not to burn. Reserving the oil and fat in the pan, drain the chorizo on paper towels.
Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, heat and add fideos. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Drain excess oil.
Add puree, chile chipotle in sauce and cook until sauce changes colour. Add chicken broth, starting with 2 cups and add more only if needed. Cook, covered over low heat, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook longer until liquid evaporates and fideos are cooked but not mushy. Check and adjust seasonings, adding more chipotle if you wish. Serve hot, with chorizo and all garnishes arranged on top.
Rhonda M. Tranks
Along with her husband, Pearsall, Rhonda lives in the city of eternal spring, Cuernavaca. They run a culture tour company, called Las Campanas, catering to the traveller who wishes to glimpse the traditional, culture and "culinary" side of Mexico. Part of the "tour itinerary" are cultural cooking classes. You can e-mail Rhonda at lascampanas@infosel.net.mx.
|